A very colorful Calotes calotes male basking in the early morning sun.
Measuring the UVB light near the Sinharaja Forest at the Morningside at high noon. We measured 290 micro watts per centimeter square at temperatures of 34°C. No reptiles were active at this time of the day. It shows that it is also very important to know the reptile species their activity patterns in the wild in order to know their necessary exposure to UVB light.
We left Sinharaja Morningside and headed to the north into the highlands. Our goal here is to observe some of the most conspicuous agamid lizards. Most Sri Lankan agamids have a prominent rostral appendage.
A male Ceratophora stoddartii basking on a mossy tree trunk in Hortons Plains.
Our first stop was in Hortons Plains where we searched for the Rhino Horn Lizard or Ceratophora stoddartii. This is a semi-arboreal species is found vertically on tree trunks and lianas inside the primary forest. Sometimes they are found foraging on the ground for insects, caterpillars and earthworms.
A female Ceratophora stoddartii.
When disturbed the animals open their mouth wide, showing their orange tongs and pointing their horns upwards.
Off to Knuckles Range now...
Sent from Sri Lanka
